Hard
by mieksqueak
Summary: Rosemarie Hathaway was brutally abused by her stepfather while her mother fought for her country in the army. One day she can't take it anymore and gets rid of the horrid man. She is discovered with the murder weapon in hand. Guilty. She is sent to a Detention Academy, determined to get out until…
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Rosemarie Hathaway was brutally abused by her stepfather while her mother fought for her country in the army. One day she can't take it anymore and gets rid of the horrid man. She is discovered with the murder weapon in hand. Guilty. She is sent to a Detention Academy, determined to get out until…

A/N #1: This is my first VA fanfic So go easy on me

Two almost black eyes, devoid from all feeling or emotion, stared back at the girl in the mirror. Her dark brown once loving eyes have turned cold the last few years. Her black curls hung over her shoulders, hiding some of the damage. Her tank top fit loosely over her thin frame and her matching black jeans was held up by an old tattered shoelace to her non-existent hips. She hadn't eaten in 24 hours and the dulled pain in her stomach was resurfacing again.

She turned her head towards the closed door of her only privacy. Her room was small, very small. The only thing that occupied the room was her single bed with the old, yellow blanket and the thin white pillow and the small worn out wooden cabinet that held the little amount of clothes she owned. She sighed when she heard the all too familiar voice shouting her name. That horrid sound lingered in her head, Etched into her mind. It branded her. She felt the hot iron hitting the skin of her subconscious, searing the skin.

She turned the doorknob slowly and shuffled her feet out of the room. She closed the door carefully. She knew what would happen if he heard that she 'slammed' the door. Anything would set him off these days. She hung her head low showing submission, surrender. She walked to the small kitchen just to the right at the end of the corridor. The light spilled into the dark corridor. She saw his shadow move around in the room and she suddenly got frightened. The very thought of him brought back unwanted memories and nightmares.

She entered the room and dared to look up a little. He was leaning against a countertop with a beer in his right hand. She sat down at the small table and placed her hands neatly in my lap. He walked over and slapped her in the face. Her ski burned but she didn't react. She knew that if she reacted she would get far worse.

"I told you, that being late isn't tolerated in my household, Rosemarie." He said with a strained voice. He was trying to keep his anger controlled. Her mother wouldn't be back from the Middle East in 3 months. She was in the US Army and fighting bravely in a foreign country. Her mother, the person who had the nerve to leave her with this horrid man, was gone out of her life.

She nodded meekly. He placed a plate in front of her face. A slice of bread was staring back at her. No bells and whistles, just bread.

"Eat." He commanded her. Rosemarie took small bites of the bread, savouring the taste of food in her mouth. Her stomach accepted the little nourishment she got from the food and begged for more. Begging would earn her another beating and those would leave visible marks on her body. She finished her meal too quickly and her parched throat managed a thank you. He nodded stiffly. She got up slowly, the chair scraping the tile floor. She pushed the chair back in and left the room without saying another word.

The bus that would take her to school arrived and took her to the Public school in the area. The back seat was practically reserved for her. Nobody dared to sit on her seat. Everyone was wary of her, almost scared of what she would do. She was loose cannon. The bus stopped and she got out last nodding a thank you towards the elderly bus driver. He smiled at her and she got off, joining the masses of teenagers making their way to the metal detectors at the entrance, guarded by bulky looking men that took shit from nobody.

She was an average student who did her work but never said anything. She sat in the back and brooded. The teachers knew that they wouldn't get a word out of her so they let her be. The last school bell rang and she slung her bag over her shoulder, wincing. The bruise there hadn't healed properly yet and was still very sensitive. She had gotten it the previous day when she accidentally looked up while eating. The memory of that incident made her loathing, for the man that was married to her mother, increase.

She knew that something had to be done. Her mother had told her of a place where she hid emergency equipment for her in the event of something happening to her. Rosemarie had a plan. It was crazy but she had to do it, she had to. She started running, her weak limbs barely carrying her weight. She had memorized the path as a child and her knowledge came in handy at this opportune moment.

The alley was dark and she was scared. This part of the city was dangerous, run by gangs. Now and then you'd see a man dead on the streets or someone getting mugged in a dark alley. Women barely covered standing on street corners trying to make a living. Beggars sitting on the sidewalk. This was her world.

She discovered the trap door instantly and found what she was looking for. She stuck the object in her pants at her hip and covered the top part with her shirt. This is it. Bravery, courage, anger, sadness. This was her moment to release her inner demon on the demon in her personal life. As if she had any privacy.

She walked home slowly, taking her time. The sun had set by the time she got the familiar rusted gate and it squealed as she pushed it open. She lifted her head and walked to the door with unknown confidence. He was expecting her and opened the door before she got there. His dark figure was looming in front of her. She almost regretted what she was about to do but instincts took over.

She pulled out the object and held it in front of him. He looked shocked but grinned wickedly, knowing how scared it made her. She was different this time. She didn't back down. Her finger was on the trigger, sweat dripping from her forehead. She pulled.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanx for the reviews! I had this massive amount of inspiration today so I surprised myself by posting the second chapter today! Hope you enjoy it. Just btw, this story is all HUMAN :)

The Characters sadly all belong to Richelle Mead :)

_Her knees hit the floor before realization of what she had done hit her. After a few ragged breaths his body was quiet. Blood did not stop flowing from the wound in his chest. Red spots swan in front of her eyes. She couldn't tell the difference between the blood and the red. She was dizzy and just before she passed out, the murder weapon slipped from her frail grasp. _

The flashing of cameras brought Rosemarie back to the present. She was being escorted out of the high court. She was guilty for the murder of Paul Finnegan, her mother's now recently deceased husband. She had been arrested and put up a hell of a fight on the way to the police station. She can't remember much, only the red and blue lights flashing in front of her eyes.

The formal clothes that had once belonged to her mother were old and washed out. The black blazer was too big for her petite form and the pants way too long so that they had to be rolled up a few times before her trusted sneakers came into view. Her brown eyes stared lifelessly ahead as they tugged her towards the police car. She was handcuffed to 'protect' the civilians of a coldblooded murdering teenager with no control over herself whatsoever.

Her mother stood at the top of the stairs looking down at her deranged child. She knew what was going on at home but didn't want to face the reality that the man she had fallen in love with was abusing her daughter and was now dead because of her daughter. She couldn't even call Rosemarie her daughter anymore. Janine Hathaway was now completely alone. She looked Rosemarie in the eye and detected no ounce of emotion in there. She was somewhere where not even Janine could pull her out of. She was gone. Dead, just like her husband.

Rosemarie was roughly pushed into the car and driven away. The Cameramen had swarmed the car before it departed. The driver had difficulty weaving through the masses of people who had come to watch her life end. She was deported to a Detention Centre for Mentally Ill Teenagers. They thought she was dangerous, that she had problems in her head. She wasn't the problem, _he_ was. He always was. With her mother gone, he could do with her whatever he wanted. She was six when he had married her mother. A year later she was sent off to some foreign country, leaving Rosemarie alone with that bastard.

It started a year after. When she was seven, he hit her for the first time when she accidentally dropped a plate. A few months later he got touchy feely. He said he had the right to do to her whatever he wanted. When her mother would return, he would act normal and if she just said a word about what happened when her mother left, she would be beaten so hard that the pain would drive her into unconsciousness. She only told her mother once and she didn't believe her. Today, in court she told the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It all came out.

The country whizzed by as the police vehicle raced by the other cars, sirens blaring. She was sitting extremely uncomfortable with her hands handcuffed behind her back. The officer next to her was also uncomfortable. Sitting next to a murderer must be hard. They must think she's a lunatic with he looks they keep giving her. Unsure, cautious, sceptical. She, however, was lost in her mind. Why did she do it? What in the right mind brought her to the edge and pushed her over.

It felt as if they were driving for ages. Her back hurt and she wiggled a little to get comfortable when the officer next to her tensed. She was shocked on how people were treating her. Nobody trusted the loose cannon murderer she had become. After what seemed ages, they stopped in front of a clinically white building. It was fenced off by a rather high electrical fence. A group of people were standing in front of the gate, waiting to escort her into the building.

The officer helped her get out of the car by yanking her arm quite painfully. It suddenly reminded her of Paul. She froze. A memory flashed back in front of her eyes.

_A young little girl of about 9 years old was sitting in the middle of the room, playing with the only doll she possessed. It was your typical Barbie doll. She was playing some kind of game when suddenly the door burst open. She got such a fright that she pulled the arm of the doll straight from the plastic body. He was angry and yanked the young girl from the floor by her arm. She was screaming but no one heard. His grip tightened around her skinny arm. _

"_You ungrateful little brat!" he shouted at her. He lifted his arm and the little girl cowered underneath his big form. His hand came down hard on her right arm while the left was still clutched painfully in his deadly grip. His eyes got misty for a moment before he let go, leaving the little girl on the floor crying, rolling up into a little ball and crying for her mother._

She blinked for a few times before comprehending where she was. An elderly, stern-looking woman approached her and looked her in the eyes.

"My name is Alberta. Welcome to California Detention Centre for teenagers. I want to make myself clear. I am in charge and I don't want any funny business." She informed me with her raspy voice. The officer handed her over to a big looking guy in a navy blue uniform. Suddenly the big gate screeched before opening widely. Alberta took the lead while the big man lad me inside the gates of hell. The grounds were crawling with guards. There was no way out of here. She had to make a plan. The only way she could get out of here was with good behaviour, something that was branded into her skin. For life.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I am on a roll! I Can't believe, 3 chapters in one day :) R&R

As always the characters belong to Richelle Mead

_Previously on Hard_

"_My name is Alberta. Welcome to California Detention Centre for teenagers. I want to make myself clear. I am in charge and I don't want any funny business." She informed me with her raspy voice. The officer handed her over to a big looking guy in a navy blue uniform. Suddenly the big gate screeched before opening widely. Alberta took the lead while the big man lad me inside the gates of hell. The grounds were crawling with guards. There was no way out of here. She had to make a plan. The only way she could get out of here was with good behaviour, something that was branded into her skin. For life. _

Rose followed Alberta obediently into the white building. What greeted her inside was quite familiar. A metal detector. Her handcuffs were temporarily removed as she passed through the machine. As she arrived on the other side, clear, she was 'felt up' by additional guards. A sniffer dog was called in to check for any substances. She was clear. She dared a reserved smile. She was then escorted to her room. Because of the severity of her transgression, she had the privilege of having her own room. It was plain just like she was used to.

The door didn't have a lock of course in case she tried to lock herself in. No sharp objects were present in the space. The bed had rounded corners and so did the dresser. The window was a small glass square with no curtains. She had a bathroom if her own because of her solidarity requirements. It also had rounded corners everywhere. Plain and white. Everything was sterile and clean. She cautiously stepped into her new room, getting used to the feeling of a soft carpet under her shoes. They were prepared for any kind of reaction from crazy maniac outburst to being so overwhelmed and fainting. She was neither. Rose remained neutral.

"Where are my clothes?" she asked suddenly while inspecting the dresser. She couldn't get enough of the smoothness of the white material, probably plastic.

"You will be provided with a proper uniform for your stay here, Rose" she informed her. Rose nodded. She walked to the bed and tentatively reached out to feel the bedding. It was clean and soft. The white linens couldn't compare to the scruffy yellow blanket from home. _Home. _This was home now. Alberta handed Rose a white file. In it were stacks of paper.

"This is all the information you will need for your stay here. If you have any questions feel free to ask." She said.

She nodded. Slowly her fingers pried the cover open and the first thing she saw was the school's logo. It was blue and white. It had a blue circle with another white circle around it. In the middle there was a peace dove with the slogan 'Strive towards Freedom' beneath it. How ironic. You are_ promising teenagers their freedom when you're actually taking it away from them, _she thought.

"Well, I will leave you to your own devices. Tomorrow you will follow the program as stated in your timetable. Lateness isn't tolerated. "She said as she turned around and closed the door leaving the criminal all on her own.

Rose made her way to the bed with the file still in her hands. She sat down on the bed. It wasn't the best bed but it beats the one she had before. She turned the page to find a detailed timetable:

General Timetable:

5:30AM - Ceremonial Raising of the Flag in the Courtyard - _Wake up at 5AM_

5:35AM - Breakfast in the Main Hall – _One portion per person_

6:00AM – Gym Session – _5 minutes to change; Gym will be held in the sports hall_

7:00AM – Normal School activities – _See school timetable_

14:00PM – Training for the American Military Test – _this training session will be held in the Sports hall again_

16:00PM – Community Service – _The Length of time depends on the severity of the transgression_

19:00PM – Dinner – _one portion per person_

20:00PM – Lights out

School Timetable:

7:00 - 7:30 - Assembly and random drug testing

7:30 - 8:30 - Mathematics

8:30 - 9:30 - Political Science

9:30 - 10:30 - Constitutional Law

10:30 - 11:30 – English Home Language

11:30 – 12:30 – History

12:30 – 13:00 – Lunch

13:00 – 14:00 – Science

_This was simple enough, _said the inner voice in Rose's mind. She was going to have a hard time adjusting to the schools regulations. She heard a soft knock on the door. Rose ran to get it. She turned the doorknob and a man in the blue uniform stood in front of her. He had a pile of clothes in his hand. He placed in her arms and closed the door in her face. Rose hung her head low. She was going to be treated like scum on earth again just for protecting her future.

She looked down at the plain uniform. She decided it was time to change out of these ridiculous clothes she was wearing. Her hair was tied up with a simple hair band which she most probably has to hand in. She let her dark hair cascade onto her shoulders. She slowly removed her shoes and her socks.

She neatly folded her socks and placed them in her shoes which she pushed to the side. She then removed her blazer and laid it gently next to her folding the sleeves perfectly. She unbuttoned the white blouse that looked like a rag hanging from her skinny body, ribs poking out on either side. She placed the white blouse on top of the blazer. She then got up and undid the button of the pants and loosened the belt. The pants dropped on the floor. Suddenly her vision blacked out.

_Rose as a 13year old girl stared back at her. She was in her room again. Her homework papers were neatly stacked all around her. She knew what would happen if her room were in a mess. Suddenly Paul stormed into the room. He was drunk and the alcohol stink radiated off of him. He had a beer bottle in his hand. He took a swig from the bottle and told her to come closer. She had no choice but to obey him. He commanded her to take off her pants. She looked down with tears in her eyes. His hand connected with the bare flesh of her upper thigh._

"_That's for crying, bitch." He snarled. He then spotted the pants lying crumpled at her ankles. At that moment she looked up and the beer bottle came down onto her head. Blood ran down her face and blocked her vision. Just before passing out he said, "Never leave your clothes on the floor." _


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thanx for the wonderful reviews! I want to thank RozaRocks especially *hug*

As always the characters belong to Richelle Mead

She opened her eyes and stared in front of her. White was all she could make out, blurry white. Her eyes darted all over the place before blinking a few times. She was in her room, pushed into a corner. It was a form of protection against the unreal, against the monster. She only had her underwear on and it was cold. Her body gave an unwanted shiver. She couldn't, wouldn't move from her temporary safe haven. Here he could not get to her. She was safe. _Rose, you have to be stronger, stronger than this._ Her inner voice proclaimed in her head. She was right, the voice. Rose had to be stronger than the fear of the man that she had killed.

She stretched her left leg in front of her. A red mark was clearly visible on her upper thigh in the shape of a hand. She gently traced the outline of the hand print on her leg. She can't remember that being there. How could Paul have hit her when it was just a memory? She felt her head just in case and found what she dreaded, dried blood. She looked around, bewildered. A blood stain was clearly visible on the white paint of the wall. She stretched her other leg tentatively. Suddenly a wave of dizziness hit her. The room was spinning. She closed her eyes and welcomed the darkness that enveloped her.

It took a long time before she dared open them again. She blinked a few times and got up. It took a few tries before the dizziness was gone. She stood looking down and spotted the pair of pants still lying on the floor. She hurried over and picked it up, smoothing out the creases. She folded the pants neatly and laid it on the pile of clothes on her bed. She picked up the other pile, her uniform. It was a navy blue overall and a white T-shirt. With it came a pair of white shoes and socks. She got dressed and winced as the rough material grazed the mark on her leg.

When she was fully dressed she walked to the little bathroom she had and turned on the tap of the washbasin. She gently washed the dried blood from her forehead. She didn't have a mirror for obvious reasons so she couldn't see how bad the damage was. She tied her hair back with the only hair tie she had. It revealed the sun tattoo she had at the nape of her neck. She had gotten it a few months prior to the murder. He hadn't known about it and she was glad he never found out. There would've been hell to pay.

After dressing, she walked over to where she left the file containing her information. On the third page was a map of the school and she sought the dining hall. It was on the right hand side of the building. It was easy to find. She placed the file on her dresser and walked to the door. She could do this. She was determined to make this work. Hiding all emotion from her visage, she turned the doorknob and stepped out. It was dead quiet. In the hall was a clock. It was 18:46. She had about 15minutes to get to the dining hall. She had memorized the path from the map and quickly found two big white doors. Everywhere there were guards standing dead still in the corners watching everything. She pushed open the door and walked in. It looked just like and school cafeteria just that the students were sitting still without talking. Boys and Girls were separated. The long tables were white just like everything else. A woman approached me and handed me a flat plastic chip. It had the number 4115 stamped on it.

"This will be your number for your stay here. The seats are numbered as well so you will find your seat easily enough." She informed me. Rose was just a number, everyone was. She got a few peculiar stares from some of the students. She found her seat soon and sat down next to a girl with light brown shoulder length hair. She was long and looked like the person you do not mess with. She had numerous tattoos on her arms and had several scars on her wrist. She was suicidal. Fun.

The tables were called over individually. The students would line up and receive a tray. They would return to their seat and eat quietly. Rose's table was called and as she got up, she was shoved out of the way by the girl next to her. Her frail body hit the floor and sent shots of pain through her body. She looked up to the snickering woman. She hid all emotion from her features and pushed herself up. She was driven by a feral instinct, food. That was her number one priority at that moment. Rose got up and briskly walked by the intimidating student, making sure to look back and give her a malice filled stare.

She received the same as everyone else but it was more than she could ever ask for. Everyone got a bowl of tasteless stew and a slice of bread with a cup of water. She couldn't remember when last she had a plate of food like this. Actually she could.

_It was Christmas. Rose was 8 years old and sitting at a table with her mother and Paul. She was allowed back for the holidays and it was the happiest time in Rose's miserable life. Her mother cooked that night which she never really does. It was a beef stew. The aromas filled the little dining room. Rose was sitting alone with Paul at the small table. He glared at her._

"_One word…" he warned. She nodded. Her mother returned with the bowl full of the steaming stew. She placed it on the table and the smell was divine. They had a wonderful dinner as a family but Paul kept looking at her. He wanted to get rid of her. Her mother never noticed. She never noticed when Rose was sad or frightened or comforted her when something bothered her. She was no mother and they were no family. _


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Sorry I didn't update yesterday! My dog was ill and he had to go to the vet. Don't worry, he's fine but I didn't have time to update. This is quite a short chapter, sorry for that. Writer's block has surfaced on this lovely Wednesday Once again thanx for the amazing feedback, love you guys!

After the meal, she returned to her own room. For once she went to bed with a satisfied stomach. Her weariness was great and as she lay down, she drifted into what she hoped would be dreamless sleep. It was not.

_She was standing in an empty hall. The walls were painted white and the floor covered in white tiles. It looked like a part of a hospital. At the far end of the hall was a door which was painted black. The golden doorknob of the black door slowly turned and the door swung open. She blinked a few times from the light that poured out of the frame. In the doorframe stood a figure. It was a silhouette of a figure. The figure was a bulky man. Her breath hitched and she suddenly thought of her stepfather. The person started to walk towards her and multiplied. 20 black figures stood in front of her, all identical. She turned around and found a corridor that led into blackness. This was her chance. She ran but the corridor never ended, no matter how far she ran. It was endless._

Her body shot up. She was on the floor, her shirt drenched in sweat. She tried to calm her rapid heartbeat but to no avail. She was panting heavily and her thin body heaved with each breath she took. Slowly she had the courage to move and get back up onto the bed. Her legs were stiff from running what seemed like miles but it was only a dream. Then why did the pain feel so real? It was almost unbearable. She managed to push herself up on her arms and flopped on the bed. Her eyes immediately drooped but she didn't want to close them. She didn't want to relive the horror but she had no choice to fall into deep sleep, fortunately it was dreamless.

A loud screeching noise brought her back to reality. She was lying face down on her bed in her white shirt. It was still dark out. 5AM. She got her body to move. _Rose, take it easy. _She swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She winced at the slight pain in her thighs. Tentatively she placed her foot on the floor and then the other before she attempted to get up. She was wobbly at first but she regained her balance as well as her composure quickly. She wore her deadly mask across her face, no emotion. She walked to her uniform which was folded neatly on her dresser. Getting dressed didn't take long. She walked to her bathroom and fastened her hair into a messy bun with the hair tie.

She sighed. Rose leaned against the wall and slowly slid down. The tears started rolling uncontrollably. She never cried anymore but this time she let everything go. She broke down completely. Sobs racked her thin body and tears stained her blue uniform. She just sat there until the tears stopped. Breathing in deeply, she got up and hoped her eyes weren't red from crying.

She put on her shoes and looked at the file where to go. She placed the file back where she found it. Walking to the door, she doubted if she should go or just stay. She would get punished for not coming and it would be severe considering the crime she committed. She had to go. Mustering up all the courage she possessed she opened her door and walked out with a dull, lifeless expression on her face.

She walked past the dining hall and a few closed doors, following a few others. The courtyard was a square concrete block with a flagpole in the middle. Once again she was a number. 4115. She joined the people from her dinner table, including the brown haired girl. When everyone was gathered and attendance was checked, a young boy came out with a small drum and started pounding on it with all his might. Alberta came forward with a neatly folded flag. She slowly attached the American flag to the pole and lifted it to the top of the pole. The wind blew and revealed its glory. It waved strongly.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N : This chapter is the turning point! Yay! Thanx for the reviews And my dog is 100% healthy again *happy dance* As always R&R!

As the flag was secured to the top of the pole, the students began to disperse to their various classrooms. Rose looked around, bewildered. She had forgotten to look where the gym was. Suddenly she felt as if someone was watching her. She turned around to meet the stern eyes of Alberta. Rose gave her a lifeless look before turning around and walking away, simply walking away. They all filed into the hall for breakfast. It was the same as dinner. You got a plate of food and everyone sat in silence and ate. After the meal, she would have to follow people in her number category that would lead her to the gym. She spotted the brown haired girl and inconspicuously followed her to a big brick building. It was half way through the second term and she had missed a lot of work she had to catch up on and getting fit was one of them. Her depleted health had prevented her from doing any kinds of sports.

They all entered the building and lined up, she followed suit. Attendance was checked and they were explained what to do. All the girls ran into the change rooms. It was chaos; they only had a limited amount of time to change. She was given her gym clothes earlier that day. It was just lying in front of her door. When they returned into the hall they started. Several stations were built up and they were divided into groups. The groups would rotate and work at each station at least once. After they had built up the different stations, the groups were told to run 2 miles around the track field. As they began running, her legs pained. She winced every time her feet banged against the grass underneath her. Her thighs were on fire but she never said a word.

She was lagging behind when they had reached the half way mark but she kept going, pushed herself to move forward. She was determined to show them that she could do just about anything. She wore her rock hard mask, impenetrable. No one would get a look what's behind the cover. She continued to pound her feet against the grass, the only sound she could hear was her rapid breathing. In and out.

She was utterly exhausted by the time they returned to the gym. They did from push ups to stretching. All kinds of exercises and challenges were prepared for them. Her legs shook slightly when the guy in charge shouted stop and commanded everyone to clean up. They packed away the remaining equipment and changed back into their uniforms. She was informed to go to reception to fetch her school supplies and her books. She was greeted by a fat, grumpy old lady sitting on the other side of a bulletproof glass panel. She was handed a bag with books and stationary as well a map of the building.

School was just like any other just that sometimes a random fist fight would break out or someone would freak out about something small and get dragged out of the class by the ever present guards. The assembly was as in every normal school, boring. Most of the students struggled to keep their eyes open but if they accidentally drifted into sleep, they would get a bang on the head. One girl got such a fright she turned around and punched the guy in the face. She was later dragged out of the assembly hall. That was the excitement of the day.

Lunch was bland but she was grateful to get three meals a day. She was just forgetting where she was and who she had killed when the brown haired girl turned to her.

"What did you do anyway to land in this hellhole? Did you kill someone or something?" she joked.

"Yes." She said. That definitely shut everyone up. They all gave her uneasy glances or some just _plainly stared just like the day she came to school with a bruise on her face._

_It stung. Her cheek was swelling already. He chuckled as he saw her sitting on the floor, clutching her face. _

"_That was for refusing me." He said playfully. He walked out of her room; smiling. She was revolted by this man, even at the age of 15. How would she explain this tomorrow at school? That was easy. She wouldn't. _

_The next day she got into the bus and sat in her usual seat. She walked by two giggling blondes from her class, they stared. A guy pointed and laughed. The nerd looked concerned and the majority glanced at her and whispered. She felt humiliated and ashamed. What were they thinking? Did anyone have any idea what she was going through?_

They returned to the gym after lunch. As they entered the hall, there was some kind of commotion. Alberta was there accompanied by some other people. She announced that these were scouts from St Vladimir's Military Academy. They were scouts and they will observe us for the next few months and some lucky students will get a new shot at life. We lined up and faced the group. A woman with her hair tied in a tight bun surveyed us. She nodded and an elderly man stepped forward.

"My name is Stan Alto. We will be watching you and three of you will be lucky." He said. Everyone was thinking the same. This was their ticket out of here. He introduced various scouts. Everyone turned when the gym door burst open and a tall man entered. He nodded towards Stan and they left without a word. The man looked back once more and his brown eyes found hers.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I'm sooooooo sorry for not updating sooner. I had soo much to do and was just too busy to give my story the full attention it deserves. I have some bad news as well, I won't be updating a lot for the next 3 weeks because school exams are coming up and that needs my full attention **** Wish me luck and I hope I pass my exams **** but after the exams, I'll have too much time. In case you are confused. After the dreams/flashbacks Rose has, she is always hurt. That's because she hurts herself without knowing it. She blacks out and relives the injuries she got. **

The next few days were excruciating for Rose. She overworked herself. She got up earlier and went to bed later that everyone else. She would do her homework until late in the evening and when she got up she would do sit ups in her bedroom. She would sometimes drift off into a trance-like state while everyone was gobbling down their lunch. The brown haired girl would accidentally bump into her while eating or something which would drag her back to reality.

She was determined to get out of here and soon. Her nights weren't plagued by dreams anymore and she almost forgot about Paul but anything, any little thing would set off the flashbacks. This would freak out the people in her vicinity. She would be busy answering question in class when a piece of paper would catch her eye and she'd freeze. The teachers would wave their hands in front of her face or shake her but it didn't help. She would be back in her own time.

It happened at their first practice with the scouts present. Stan was there with the tall man. She immediately found those brown eyes staring at her with some kind of unknown intensity. His brown hair was long and tied at the nape of his neck with a black leather cord. The man never said anything. He just stood next to Stan with his hand folded behind his back. She was intimidated by him. He seemed so dead almost. His face showed no signs of any emotion which reminded her of herself. The void in their lives was clearly visible. She could only see it because she had it herself.

It was a Thursday afternoon and all the girls in her age group were called into the gym. They were instructed to do the usual routine. Warm up by running around the field and come back to stretch. Then they would do all kinds of different exercises. It was her turn to sprint down the 100m track. She stared down the narrow field. The scouts were watching her intently and she got nervous when suddenly everything went black.

_She was lying on the floor and Paul was running his long nails across her bare stomach. She wanted to scream but her voice was gone and he didn't stop. She couldn't remember what she had done wrong, probably nothing. It was painful and sometimes a drop of blood would escape her skin and run onto the floor. She watched a single crimson drop make its way across her stomach and drip onto the floor._

She blinked a few times before she noticed that someone was carrying her. She moaned out of pin as they ascended the stairs. She heard people near her talking frantically. Rose finally got the courage to open her eyes. Her eyes had to adjust to the bright lights of the corridor. She looked up to the person carrying her. It was the tall mystery man, his strong arms holding her scrawny body up as if she weighed nothing at all. He wore his tough guy mask, staring ahead with his brown eyes.

A door opened and they all walked in. She was laid carefully onto a bed. She winced as her sore body hit the mattress. She heard a pair of footsteps and a gasp. She opened her eyes.

"Someone call Alberta." She heard someone say. She felt a prick in her arm and drifted into deep sleep.

Sunlight shone through the window and Rose's eyes fluttered open. She blinked and surveyed her surroundings. She tried to sit up on the white bed but winced as she felt pain on her stomach. She fell back onto the bed breathing hard and waiting for the pain to subside. She heard people murmur from the door. She had no idea what happened or how she got here but she was certain that they wanted answers which she couldn't give them.

Alberta burst through the door and gave her an angry look which dissolved entirely as she stared at her lower body. Rose dared a look as well. Her whole stomach was bandaged up.

"Rose, what happened?" she asked tentatively.

"I knew this was coming. I honestly do not remember anything. I am sorry if that isn't the answer you were expecting but I really don't know what happened or how I got here." She confessed.

Alberta sighed. Rose's head fell back onto the pillow. She was frustrated by not being able to move but she was used to pain so that didn't bother her as much. She rubbed the remaining weariness from her eyes and stared up at the white ceiling. Alberta left without saying another word. She heard people talking outside the door. She realized that she wasn't in a part of the Centre she had been to. This was probably the infirmary.

She just wished she could sneak over to the door and eavesdrop. She was so curious. She wanted to know what they were saying, badly. Suddenly the door opened and the tall man entered and a nurse followed. He told her something in a foreign language and she nodded. He looked at her with his brown eyes, the same as always. They looked dull but he had dark circles under them showing that he didn't get any sleep. Was something else going on?

The nurse returned and she felt the prick again. She drifted off hoping to return…

**A/N#2: Major inspiration for this chapter = Florence and the Machine – Cosmic Love **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey my ever faithful readers, I am back! Exams are over and now I've got forever to update! Isn't that bliss *sigh* So without further a due…**

**VA belongs to Richelle Mead **

The next day she was let out of the infirmary and the nurse told her to take it easy. Of course she didn't listen. She immediately fell back into her routine but she had this strange feeling that every minute of the day she was being watched. It was true. The instructors were told to keep an eye on her to make sure she didn't suffer another attack. They were being cautious because they have never dealt with someone like this before and it was freaking them out. Rose was becoming more and more uneasy with their ever present scrutinizing gaze on her. Soon she was going to lose it.

* * *

Rose awoke a week later by some commotion coming from outside her door. Voices were talking excitedly and that was unusual for this place. When Rose arrived at the institution, no one spoke a word. This definitely was something out of the ordinary. She slowly got up and went to her dresser to fetch her uniform. She quickly got dressed and put on her shoes before making her way to her door. She opened it and fell into step with a group of girls that headed towards the entrance. That's when she realised that the institution had gained another student.

She stared out of the window like 90% of the place. A thin scrawny guy with pitch black hair was dragged out of the police vehicle. He struggled severely but never managed to get free. She remembered when that was her and she was in the arms of strangers. He his vision darted in all directiohns as if trying to find an escape. He stopped as Alberta stepped in front of him and stared into his eyes with a stern look as if trying to say 'stop'.

His movements ceased and he glared back at her. Alberta suddenly turned around and walked back to the building. Everyone dispersed except for Rose. She was intrigued by him. Why was he here and what had he done to land in a place like this? She was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed the front door being opened and the guards escorting the new student inside. She looked at him and he returned the gage with clear blue eyes.

She immediately turned round and left the room. Suddenly she collapsed in the corridor. Everything went black and that's when she heard a scream. It was her own.

_In her mind Paul was on top of her, smiling with victory. She whimpered and he slapped her. She struggled beneath his dominating figure which caused her more pain as he hit her again, this time on her upper thigh._

Suddenly the image vanished and she felt a pair of strong, muscular arms wrap around her and hold her tight to the person's chest. She inhaled deeply smelling an earthy, leather smell. She breathed in deeply again and drifted off into dreamless slumber. The mystery guy was carrying her back to her room. Why did he know where it was? What was his fascination with her?

She snuggled closer and sighed. Her frail body was slowly placed on her bed and she grabbed the blanket with such force that it surprised him. She clung to the thin fabric for dear life and it gave her comfort. He left silently but never noticed a pair of blue eyes looking around the corner.

* * *

Rose awoke the next morning with a terrible headache. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and blinked. She was in her room. How did she get back? She was in the entrance hall the last time she remembered and the blue-eyed guy was there and he was staring at her but how had she left. A sense of foreboding crept into her mind. Did she blackout again? Someone must have returned her to her room. That's when she noticed a silver chain lying on the floor a few centimetres from her feet **(A/N: Inspiration: Fast Five).** It was a plain silver chain. She picked it up and carefully lookeda t it in the palm of her hand. She unclasped it at the back and fastened it onto her neck. The cold of the metal made her shiver slightly but it soon resided.

She tucked the thin chain into her shirt and got dressed. The morning progressed normally and when she came to breakfast the seat next to her was filled. The brown haired girl was plainly staring at the person sitting in the seat next to mine. So was almost everyone in the Hall. It was new guy. Did he carry her back to her room the previous night? She sat down and cautiously peered at him. He was looking forward with a bored look on his face.

She cleared her throat and he looked at her.

"What?" he asked sarcastically. She looked forward again. He tapped on her shoulder.

"Excuse me!" he practically shouted. Rose looked back at him and he stuck out his hand. She was supposed to shake it but she did the opposite. She toppled to the floor, writhing to get away from something that wasn't there. Then a group of people descended on her small body shaking out the floor. Someone picked her up and she detected the familiar smell. So it wasn't the newbie. Suddenly she felt a hand under her shirt. It touched the silver chain.

"Where did you get that?" asked a deep masculine voice with a distinct Russian accent. (**Pirates of the Caribbean reference ****)**

**So I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations. Wondering who the newbie is? Take a guess. Would love to hear your take ****Ideas and reviews are more than welcome *hug* thanx for those who have waited so long for this UD ****I have this huge plot in my mind ****It will be my take on the original VA series **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Heya people **** thanx sooooo much for the reviews, love you guys! I'm sooo excited to continue this story…I have big plans and sooo excited to tell you guys but you have to wait patiently **

**VA belongs to Richelle Mead **

She caught the familiar clean smell of the infirmary. A dripping noise woke her up completely. She was alone in the room. A drip was on her arm, forcing liquid into her body. Then she heard muffled voices outside her door. The mystery (russian0 guy walked in with the newbie and Alberta.

"Good morning, Rose. This is Christian Ozera. He will be keeping an eye on you since you have the tendency of…" she stopped and tried to think of an appropriate word. Alberta gave up and then pointed to the mystery guy. He stepped forward.

"My name is Dimitri Belikov." He announced. She looked at him and was about to ask something when Alberta interrupted her.

"He will continue your training because it seems you don't do well in crowds." She said. That's when she realized. They thought Rosemarie Hathaway was a danger to herself and to the ones around her. She looked out of the window to her right and sighed before nodding. They all left. Dimitri looked back at her with no emotion on his face. Just before she looked back at him, he left the room.

As soon as the door closed, she broke down. Tears flowed uncontrollably down her face. She cried until her eyes were dry and no drop of moisture could come forth. She breathed deeply and wondered about her mother. Where was she? Is she still alive? As if it was an old habit, she stuck her hand into her shirt and held onto the silver chain. It had some kind of meaning that she didn't understand but it kept her level.

She ripped the drip out of her arm and a small droplet of blood escaped from the little prick the needle made. She wiped her finger over the red blood and brought it to her mouth. She tasted the saltiness of her own blood **(no she is NOT a vampire, this is all human.)**. With careful slowness she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and surveyed her surroundings. The walls were white and so were the tiles on the floor. On the wall was a framed picture of a flower and on the small beside table was a vase with plastic flowers in them.

The window was on the right side of the bed and looked over the rolling hills of the countryside. On the window sill was an air freshener that kept the smell of disinfectant at bay. She placed her feet on the cold tile floor with caution and slid off the bed. She noticed that she was only in her white shirt and a pair of blue tracksuit pants. Rose started pacing restlessly. They weren't going to let her out of this room soon. She was so occupied with her thoughts that she didn't notice the door open and someone coming in. Someone tapped her on her shoulder. She jumped in fright and turned around and stared right into a pair of amused blue eyes.

"So YOU must be Christian." She said in a dull voice.

"Duh. I am THE Christian Ozera." He said proudly and smirked at her.

"And oh mighty protector Christian, what are you doing here?" she replied, sarcasm in her tone.

"Defending you from yourself, helpless one." He said oh so wisely.

"Oh really and you are in what kind of institution yourself?" she asked.

"The same one as you." He replied in a snarky voice.

"SO how come you are in this place anyway." She said, placing her hands on her hips and looking at him with an 'I dare you' look.

"Well, my aunt framed me for my parents death but no one believed me so I so I got the blame." He said.

Her expression softened. She started to apologise when he waved a hand in front of her face.

"Don't." he warned her.

They stood in silence for what seemed ages. She felt for him. Somehow she could relate to his situation. She practically had no parents at all.

"How about you? You seem very stable for someone in this place." He asked with sarcasm in his tone.

"Well, I killed my abusive step-father and my mother is as good as dead to me." She said.

"So we are in the same boat, you and me. Practically orphans with nowhere else to go." He said dramatically.

"There is another option. Impress the scouts and get the hell out of here." She suggested.

He seemed to deliberate what she had just said. He scratched his chin and seemed to contemplate all the reasons why he should and why he shouldn't. He stuck out his hand suddenly and Rose shook it. For once the both of them had a positive goal to work towards.

"Let's get you out of here." He said optimistically.

"Oh yeah, jailbird. How are we going to accomplish that?" she asked.

"I have my connections." He said simply and led her out of the room and into the corridor. He turned around to look at her and winked.

"Oh, by the way, I am a compulsive liar." He said smirking. Did he just lie about everything or was he telling the truth. She would never know.

**I know this is a short chapter but I loved writing it. I love Rose/Christian friendship. Their banter is my fave. As always R&R!**


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I am a horrible person, I know. I feel sooooooo bad for not updating but this year has been more hectic than I could've imagined. Anyway, much love to all my readers who have stuck with me. I hope I have earned your forgiveness ; )

VA belongs to Richelle Mead

She was really hitting it off with Christian, her ever present guardian. For once she did not feel alone. The attacks have ceased for the time being. Maybe it was because her mind was focused on getting out of this place with the help of Christian but she wasn't sure that when he told her he had connections or if he was lying. She had her plan B if he was telling the truth but with him she was unsure. The only way she could see herself walking out of that entrance gate was working hard.

In the morning training sessions she pushed herself until breaking point. There were sometimes where she would collapse from exhaustion or she would fall asleep in her classes but it was worth it. This definitely caught the attention of the scouts at the school except for one exception. He always stood in the corner behind the others and watched with an emotionless gaze. Not really looking at something but observing everything. She was intrigued.

"Hey! Hello? Earth to Rose?" she heard someone scream in her ear. She blinked and stared into a pair of confused blue eyes. She placed her guarded mask over her emotions and looked back at him.

"What?" she asked cheekily.

"Well you were kind of staring holes through the weird guy in the corner. It was freaky." He explained. That's when she noticed the Russian in the corner giving her a weird look.

"Was I like _staring_?" she whispered to Christian. She looked at him and he nodded trying to contain his laugh. Someone cleared their throat behind them.

"Am I interrupting something special that I have to stop my whole class to address you two?" asked Stan who was just explaining what they would be looking for in the test. She lowered her head.

"Well everyone, now that this lovely pair has joined us I will continue. In 2 days we will meet here at 6am. Everyone that arrives late has lost their chance. We will then put everyone through the drills and evaluate you accordingly. The results will be announced a week from then. Good Luck." He said.

They were then instructed to run laps which she did obediently. It reminded her of the fatal day that changed her life. She remembered the gun and pulling the trigger and the blood. Blood. Red Spots danced before her eyes. She stopped running and everyone else flew passed her. She walked of the track and sat down on the wet grass, her head in between her knees. She took a few uneven breaths and tried to calm down.

"Are you ok?" asked a heavily accented voice. She looked up at stared into dark brown eyes. She blinked once more and took a deep breath before nodding. She got up but her legs collapsed. She was surprised that she never hit the floor. Strong arms encircled her waist and pulled her up.

"Thank you." She said weakly. She tried to wiggle out of his grasp. She didn't like being helped. She felt weak. He pulled her up and steadied her. Finally she was able to stand on her own. He still looked at her as if she was about to fall over again but she gave him a look and he backed away.

She resumed with her jogging but was still a bit unsteady on her feet. As she finished her 3rd lap, someone blew a whistle. She stopped, slightly out of breath. The Russian came up to her and was waiting for her to make the first move. She straightened out and looked at him when she realised that he might want his chain back. She was about to undo the claps at the back of her neck but he interrupted her.

"Don't. Keep it." He said in a flat voice. She was surprised but let her arms drop to her sides.

"Now that you are warmed up, follow me." He commanded her. She did as she was told. As the others carried on with their practice, she was lead to the gym where she would have to face Mr Tough-Russian all alone. She wasn't scared, never scared, just a tad intimidated. A they arrived he grabbed two metal chairs that belong to the instructors and placed them opposite each other. He sat down and gestured for her to join him. She was clearly confused but she complied.

"Why do you think you get these 'attacks', Ms Hathaway." He asked her.

Now that was a question she did not expect. She was not about to bear her soul to him. She didn't even know the guy.

"Why should I tell you?" she replied trying to do the one eyebrow thing but failed miserably.

"It is important to know if this is a regular occurrence and if we can prevent it so that it does not, in the end, lead to your death." He stated plainly.

"Well, mostly, I see vivid memories and blackout and I doing so, I cause myself physical harm but when I wake up, I can't remember what I did." She said with a sigh. She did not want to die, especially by suicide.

He nodded.

"I want to try something. See your memories as documents with the memory written on it and your brain as a filing cabinet. "he said.

She nodded and closed her eyes, trying to visualize what he was saying.

"Now mark the bad memories with a red mark." He continued. She did that and there were more red-marked ones than others.

"Take those documents and place them in one of the cabinets and lock it." He said. The papers in her mind floated into a sliver cabinet and stacked themselves into neat piles. The drawers shut and locks appeared and locked them away. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Now we can begin with training." He said. She smiled inwardly. _I'm gonna take him down._

.


End file.
